Did you know that you can cook bacon in an air fryer? Air Fryer bacon is so easy, hands off, and no splatter mess! Worried about smoke? I include a tip so you can cook bacon without any smoking issues. It takes 10 minutes or less to cook some easy, crispy bacon.
How to Make Air Fryer Bacon
Cooking bacon in the air fryer only takes ___ minutes. No messy splatter like when you cook it on the stove and the bacon is the perfect balance of crispy and chewy.
Recipe Tips and FAQs!
What is an Air Fryer?
An air fryer is essentially a compact countertop convection oven. A fan circulates the hot air at a quick speed which creates a crispy layer on foods without needing to fry in oil.
Can bacon be cooked in the oven instead of the air fryer?
Yes! I have a post with instructions on how to make bacon in the oven. This is my preferred method if I need to make a very large batch. For smaller batches, the air fryer is perfect.
How do you keep bacon from smoking in an air fryer?
The beauty of the air fryer is that you don't need to use a lot of fat to cook foods. But cooking high fat foods, such as bacon or even beef, can lead to smoking as the excess fat is circulated and heated in the air fryer?
What's the solution to the smoking? A little bit of water! By adding just a couple tablespoons of water to the bottom of your air fryer basket, it helps dilute the excess fat and limits any smoking.
Of course, like cooking many things, it's still best to stay in the kitchen while your air frying the bacon to make sure no smoking issues happen.
How long do the leftovers last?
Leftover bacon can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. You can reheat in the microwave or in the air fryer to restore crispiness.
Does bacon splatter in an air fryer?
The beauty of cooking bacon in an air fryer or in the oven vs on the stove is that all splatter is contained vs getting all over you and your kitchen. Less mess to clean up!
Can you line the air fryer with aluminum foil?
If you want easier cleanup, you certainly can line your air fryer basket aluminum foil and then place your bacon.
Be aware that the bacon fat will not drain off the bacon and the foil will limit the hot air circulation so it may not get as crispy. I've done it both ways - with and without foil - and both are tasty.
What type of bacon should be used?
Your favorite choice of regular, pork bacon. You can use standard, thick cut, applewood smoked, your favorite! Depending on thickness, the cook time may vary by a minute or two.
Is cooking bacon in the air fryer healthier?
Nope. There is no nutritional difference between cooking bacon in the air fryer, oven, or skillet.
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PrintRecipe
Air Fryer Bacon
Did you know that you can cook bacon in an air fryer? Air Fryer bacon is so easy, hands off, and no splatter mess! Worried about smoke? I include a tip so you can cook bacon without any smoking issues. It takes 10 minutes or less to cook some easy, crispy bacon.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 12oz Bacon slices
Instructions
- Arrange Bacon in Air Fryer. Lay the bacon slices in the air fryer. It's okay if they overlap slightly as the bacon will shrink as it cooks. But you don't want to fully stack the bacon on top of each other. I recommend doing multiple batches, if needed. Optional: if you prefer, you can line the air fryer basket with foil for easier cleanup. This will limit the hot air circulation and won't allow the fat to drain off.
- Add Water to Basket. Cooking higher fat foods, like bacon, in the air fryer can cause smoking. I like to add a little water - about 2-3 tablespoons to the bottom of the air fryer basket. This will reduce any smoke issues.
- Air Fry. Air fry the bacon at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes, depending on bacon thickness and air fryer. I recommend flipping or moving the slices around about halfway through so they cook evenly. Drain cooked bacon on paper towels to absorb excess grease.
- Repeat. Repeat with remaining bacon. I recommend cleaning the excess grease out of the basket in between batches.
- Enjoy!
Notes
The bacon amount is really up to you! You can cook just 2 or 3 slices or make multiple batches.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 slices bacon
- Calories: 162
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 581 mg
- Fat: 12.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.6 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 11.7 g
- Cholesterol: 34.2 mg
Sharon K says
This is great help to me, thank you!
Kathleen says
Glad to hear!